1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feeding apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air separation system is proposed as a method for separating and conveying loaded paper sheets in a paper feeding apparatus used in an image forming apparatus. As an example of the air separation system, air is blown by a blower being an air issuing unit to leading ends of an upper part of a loaded bundle of sheets. An air layer is formed between at least leading ends in a sheet conveyance direction (hereinafter simply referred to as leading ends) of the topmost and second sheets to cause at least the leading end of the topmost sheet to rise. The rising topmost sheet is suctioned by a suction unit, adsorbed to an adsorption belt, and separated.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-68455 describes a paper feeding apparatus provided, at an upper portion of an end fence for abutting and positioning trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction (hereinafter simply referred to as trailing ends) of a bundle of sheets mounted on a sheet mount board, with a pressing member being a pressing unit protruding from the end fence toward the bundle of sheets. In the paper feeding apparatus, the trailing ends of the upper part of the bundle of sheets are pressed by a pressing force of the pressing member protruding from the end fence to cause the leading ends of the upper sheets to abut a front fence. Accordingly, the trailing ends of the sheets are positioned by the pressing member. Consequently, even if there is a gap between the end fence and the trailing ends of the bundle of sheets, at least the trailing ends of the upper part of the bundle of sheets are positioned by the pressing member. Consequently, when the leading end of the topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets rises due to the air blown from a blower, it is possible to stop the backward movement of the topmost sheet. As a result, it is possible to prevent the leading end of the second sheet from being located downward in the sheet conveyance direction from the leading end of the topmost sheet, and the leading end of the second sheet from being adsorbed to the adsorption belt, together with the topmost sheet. As a result, it is described that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of double feed due to such an adsorption.
However, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-68455, there may be a case where a sheet cannot rise smoothly so that the sheet cannot be adsorbed to the adsorption belt by a sheet conveyance timing to lead to the occurrence of paper feeding failure.